Archive for June, 2015

The Val Verde Community Advisory Committee (VVCAC) will meet on Monday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel located at 28508 Westinghouse Pl. in Valencia.

The Val Verde Community Advisory Committee exists to serve as a liaison between the Chiquita Canyon Landfill and the local community as a means for the community to communicate with the Regional Planning Commission and other regulatory agencies on an ongoing basis regarding issues involved in the development and operation of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

Chiquita Canyon representatives attend the meetings of the VVCAC to provide regular, and timely updates and reports regarding landfill operations as a means to maintain an open line of communications with local leaders and residents. Meetings are open to the public.

Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Landfill Compliance and Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment (SCOPE) made harsh accusations alleging “Spanish-speaking residents were wrongfully shut out of the public review process for the proposed Chiquita Canyon Landfill expansion.”

Management at Chiquita Canyon Landfill responded; “Chiquita Canyon remains confident that the County of Los Angeles conducted the public review of our Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) legally and properly. Despite misleading information from a small group of project opponents, Chiquita Canyon continues to work with the County of Los Angeles in responding to public comments received during the extensive public review of the Draft EIR.”

Accordingly, the County of Los Angeles provided Spanish translation at the public hearing on July, 31, 2014 for the landfill’s Master Plan Revision. At that hearing only one person of the approximately 25 public speakers requested the translation assistance.

It is also worth noting that the Val Verde Civic Association (VVCA), Val Verde Community Advisory Committee (VVCAC) and the Val Verde Community Benefits Funding Committee (CBFC) hold regular monthly meetings. Nearly all meetings are conducted without Spanish translation. Their meeting agendas, minutes, financials and reports are only provided to their residents in English. Chiquita Canyon Landfill representatives presented the Master Plan Revision to the Val Verde Civic Association at their regularly scheduled meeting and the VVCA did not request a Spanish translator or translation during the meeting residents.

The following is a statement from Chiquita Canyon in response to an alleged complaint filed by SCOPE and project opponents regarding the extensive public review process for Chiquita’s Master Plan Revision:

STATEMENT BY CHIQUITA CANYON:

“Chiquita Canyon remains confident that the County of Los Angeles conducted the public review of our Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) legally and properly. Despite misleading information from a small group of project opponents, Chiquita Canyon continues to work with the County of Los Angeles in responding to public comments received during the extensive public review of the Draft EIR.” – Chiquita Canyon